Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, the former Minister of Finance, has secured a role as an Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank.
Assuming all goes as planned, she will commence her duties at the bank's headquarters in Washington on July 10.
However, there have been allegations from certain quarters suggesting that the former minister did not follow proper procedures in her appointment.
According to an online publication, sources in Washington claim that Mrs. Ahmed bypassed the appointment protocols by nominating herself. The report further states that the World Bank had requested nominations for three economists for an AED position several months prior to the end of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, but the minister kept the letter to herself.
It has also been alleged that Mrs. Ahmed neither obtained President Buhari's approval for her self-nomination nor the approval of the new President, Sen. Bola Tinubu.
Nevertheless, a reliable source within the federal government, familiar with the World Bank system, informed Vanguard that Mrs. Ahmed did nothing wrong in her appointment.
The source explained, "It's impossible for her to nominate herself, and she didn't. She was validly nominated by the Ministry (of Finance), and President Buhari approved her nomination before he left."
The source further emphasized that such nominations are routine, citing the example of a former Director-General of the Budget Office who was nominated at the end of the Jonathan administration to serve as an Executive Director at the African Development Bank.
The source clarified that the AED position is typically filled by former Ministers of Finance (Governors of the World Bank) or Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Ministries of Finance (Alternate Governors of the World Bank).
It is intended for individuals knowledgeable about development policy issues, the transfer of resources to developing countries, and familiar with World Bank Executive Board matters.
The source concluded by stating that the AED position is not suited for theoretical economists lacking experience working with the Ministry of Finance in sovereign member countries.
